The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-02-03

became assistant engineer in the CON
struction of the I'd Avenne Elevated
road, New York, subsequently, he was
with the New York City and North
ern rs division engineer; after that
he was locating and division engineer
on the Pittsburg Lake Erie R'y;
next he became Chief Engineer Of the
road from here to Cranberry mines
the 4. L. & w. N. G. r. R., and here
he especially demonstrated the high
est order OF engineering ability He al
so, for some time was Superintendent
as well as Chief Engineer OF it. 9th
er work that he had been engaged in
we we need not mention, except that
in April last he was appointed Chief
Engineer Of the G. c. & G. road, and
he is now actively discharging his du-
ties in that capacity. Personally Col.
Matson is very unassuming man,
but decided worker. He is as warm
a friend as Johnson City possibly
could have, and no man here is held
in higher esteem.
OF Mr. Hardin we speak elsewhere
in connection with the narrow gauge
(of which he is agent at this point)
and OF the Johnson City Real Estate
Company.
JOHNSON CITY FURNI. URE co.
Three years ago Mr.. J. L. Grant
came to Johnson City. In the interest
Of his father and himself he had visi
ted various sections of the country,
with the view of selecting suitable
section for wood working interest.
He was pleased with the reception he
met here at the hands OF some of our
business men he was satisfied that
from its relative proximity to coal
lands on the one hand and to iron ore
on the other, that this must eventually
grow to be city Of Importance. He
also ascertained that in this immedi.
ate vicinity could be secured an abund-
ance OF timber suited to the manu-
featuring purposes he had in view, so
the firm Of Grant & Son, located here.
The site OF their factory was then be-
yond the recognized limits of town ;
that year 60 residences were built in
the new addition, and herein was an
illustration of what a factory can and
does accomplish for community.
Grant & Son erected their work and
began operation. Since then the
working facilities have been increased
from time to time as necessity demand
ed, and on the lst of May last the pri
vate concern OF Grant & Son was merg-
ed into the Johnson City Furniture
Co., with paid in capitol OF $4,000.
OF this Company, Col Thos. E. Mat
son was elected President (he had
been warm friend of the enterprise
from the start) Mr.. Frank Evans be-
came Secretary and Treasurer and
Mr.. J. L. Grant Superintendent OF the
Works. Now, after nearly one years
organization as joint stock compa-
ny, it is proposed to increase capitol
and working facilities, fact that H.
lustrates very well how successfully
the enterprise has been conducted.
The Company in question has sew
eral specialties. 1t manufactures fur
niture, chiefly medium priced sets, us
ing cherry, ash, walnut, &c, and for
these it has market extending from
Roanoke, Va, (the farthest point
North where trade has.y been sought,
down to Mobile. 1t sells to one of the
largest houses in the furniture manu-
featuring city OF Knoxville and, fear
ing competition from no quarter, it en-
ters the list as candidate for the lau
rels aud profits of successful trade
throughout Tennessee and her sistel
States.
, But bed room furniture is not the
, only speciality OF the johnson Cit.
: Furniture Co. 1t completes with Gin
cinnati and other tiles in cequippin(
. banks and other Offices, and in tn,
Bank OF Johnson City, the First Ma
tional Bank of Morristown and in 9th
/, er equally elegantly furnished Office
} may be found specimens of workman
ship that may well be referred to. Eli
s pecial attention is paid to contracts Q
: this character, and the officers of th
. Company will at any time be glad t
e furnish drawings, specifications an,
/. estimates.
d Still another specially is the manr
d facture OF sash, doors and blinds an
II the re-dressing of lumber, while builC
G ers supplies generally are carried i
Is stock, but this trade is largely loc'
o in its charater.
IS The works are substantially bui
v and the machinery is operated by a c
n horsepower engine, while the numbC
(. of employees usually is about 80. L
e pay roll we have embodied in stat
V ments elsewhere in this article. TIL